X Games League Viewership Gets Serious Vert In TV Debut

EXCLUSIVE: The team-based era for action sports made an auspicious debut in Sacramento last week, delivering an audience of more than 12 million U.S. viewers across ESPN and ABC — up by 21% compared with recent Summer X Games broadcasts.

Digital engagement also surged, with X Games YouTube views up 88% year-over-year.

The three-day inaugural X Games League event, featuring the world’s best skateboard, BMX, and Moto X athletes competing in the new club-based XGL format, also set a post-pandemic X Games attendance record. XC Tokyo left the kickoff weekend atop the XGL standings, with XC São Paulo and XC New York tied for second place and XC Los Angeles in fourth.

“The launch of the MoonPay X Games League exceeded every expectation,” X Games CEO Jeremy Bloom said. “Sacramento showed up in a massive way, our athletes delivered historic progression, and fans immediately connected with the new club format. This is exactly why we built the league, to raise the stakes, create deeper fan connection and give the world’s best action sports athletes a bigger platform.”

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Sponsored by MoonPay, X Games League now heads to Chiba, Japan, where XC Tokyo will look to defend its early lead in front of its home country crowd. Chiba stream live July 3-4 on Roku and Kick, with international coverage on YouTube. Additional coverage will air on ESPN and ABC on July 10-12. After Chiba, the inaugural XGL season concludes with a July 24-26 events at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, where the first X Games League champion will be crowned.

“Sacramento proved there is real demand for this next chapter of X Games,” Bloom added. “Now we take that momentum to Japan, where XC Tokyo has a chance to compete with the league lead on the line. That is the power of the new format, where every event matters, every club has a story, and fans have a reason to follow the race all season.”